SixYear PLan
by Jordana Kari
Summary: AU. Ozi has a plan and it went into action the day Ursa vanished.It will give the soldiers of the Fire Nation a reason to fight. Even an arranged marriage wont stop him. Maybe it was even in the plan from the beginning.I am deleting this and rewriting thi
1. Chapter 1

Six-Year Plan

I do not own Avatar the Last Air Bender, but they should give it to us because we would actually write and put out episodes.

To restore peace were the Avatar had failed Fire Lord Ozi demanded a blood connection. That meant only one thing, an arranged marriage. The ones to wed were Prince Zuko and a girl from the Water Tribes or Earth Kingdom.

Katara was going to volunteer for this marriage. Little did she know that Zuko was the prince of the Fire Nation. She couldn't help but wonder why Zuko was here. Though she did notice that Ozi that looked familiar.

"_Probably about to go on trial for hunting the avatar after the war is over, but tht doesn't explain the fact Ozi looks familiar"_ she thought to herself.

The assembly was called to begin. It was time to select a bride.

"The reason we are here is to decide who id to wed the Prince," announced Fire Lord Ozi. "Who here is willing to wed my son?" he asked with cold decorum.

"I will wed the Prince," Katara said boldly standing up.

Zuko's drink squirted out of his nose and he began he began to choke.

"_What is he so surprised about?"_ Katara wondered. _"Oh well everyone will laugh at him tomorrow." _

"Very well you will wed Prince Zuko," said Ozi.

There was a moment when pure horror was plain as day on her face. In her mind all the questions from before connected with almost devastating answers. _It all makes sense. Why Zuko was here, and his reaction to my stand. Why the Fire Lord looked so familiar. Why didn't I see it? Zuko looked exactly like the Fire Lord._

All throughout the time when she thought these things she stood there in silence.

Zuko's mind was also racing with similar thoughts. _Why was she doing this to him? Did that girl enjoy torturing him? Why didn't she back out? She can spare us both_. He wanted to say something, but he didn't want a second scar.

Both of them had the same fear, that the other would murder them in their sleep.

Sokka wouldn't stand for this. His sister was in shock, but he wasn't.

"I object we had no Idea that _he_ was your son," Sokka bursted out angrily. "My sister has the right to change her decision."

"The idiocy of your sister does not justify this, but she does have a right." Ozi said with contempt plain in his voice.

However Katara still wasn't over the shock and remained silent. Which was understandable considering the situation. Her silence was received as approval.

"The wedding preparations will begin," Ozi said smiling deviously.

"_NO!"_ thought Zuko, Katara, and Sokka all at once.

They all realized this was set in stone and would take a lot to change this. From now until the wedding day there was a battle. The plans were already formulating in Sokka's head. The assembly had dismissed and the battle had begun.

That is it so far a there will be more and I will update soon. Reviews are greatly appreciated.

WWJD


	2. The Plot

Six-Year Plan

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender. Like I said before they should give it to people who will do something with it.

The Fire Lords war room was a vast expanse of red marble and gilded pillars with a throne that had fire dancing around it. It was empty with exception of the Fire Lord on his throne and Princess Azula.

"Daughter did you notice the expressions of Zuko and the water tribe girl as I did?" questions Ozi.

"Yes they both fear and hate each other," Azula responded.

"Exactly, she thinks badly of Zuko, use that," Ozi said with a coldness that could make you freeze over.

"What are you thinking precisely?" Azula asked her father with a sadistic grin. Making Ozi think that she had a good Idea about her mission.

"Convince her that killing Zuko is a good deed, that it will help the world," Ozi explained.

"So she will kill him and then our six year long plan will be complete," Azula cackled smoothly.

The wedding preparations truly began as the plotting was over.

Zuko felt miserable. He wondered why his father hated him. He wasn't prejudice, but his father was and Zuko knew it. His father was allowing him to wed a Water Tribe peasant.

"_Father wouldn't have allowed it for our lowliest servant, but he allowing it for me,"_ Zuko thought.

He promised himself that he would never cry again when he was banished, but this was one of those times where he struggled to keep his promise.

"_How worthless am I to father?"_ he wondered. Glad that he was in his personal quarters. Where no one could see him this close to the edge.

Katara hated herself for letting this happen to herself; for passing up freedom.

"I could have saved myself! But no, I was in stupid shock! Now I am doomed!" Katara screeched. "My fate is in the hands of the Fire Lord."

With that last statement it finally sunk in. She was going to marry Zuko, and be the Fire Lords daughter in law. She wanted to hurl.

"I can't believe that jerk is going to marry my sister!" ranted Sokka.

He glared at Zuko who was walking out of his room into the halls, and Sokka was too angry to notice that Zuko seemed a little emotional. Sokka resumed plotting against Zuko.

Zuko having just walked out of his rooms was still pretty close to the edge. If he had noticed Sokka glaring at him that could have throne him over the edge.

This chapter was a little on the short side.

Thank you FireNutZuko for actually reviewing unlike the other 27 of you people. It is greatly appreciated!

WWJD


	3. Decetion part one

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

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A servant was leading Katara to her new rooms. When passing Azula's room she saw her eating a luxurious meal or what any normal person would call a banquet, she at primly with a look of contempt in her eyes. There was an orchestra playing any song she desired. From what you could see it was lavishly decorated and Azula at

"I wont expect her to bend over backwards for anyone," Katara muttered to herself. Then got fixed with a glare from the servant.

When she passed Zuko's rooms it was quite a different scene. The room was simply decorated with not so grand furnishings. They also seemed smaller and a little dusty like no one had walked in it in for years until now. He was talking to someone Katara couldn't see.

"The royal siblings are very different from each other aren't they?" asked Katara.

"Yes. They are the yin and yang that never can't work together without a miniature war happening," answers the servant.

Them the rooms of the Dragon of the West came into view. They were furnished like Zuko's, but they were decorated with random objects from around the world. The general however was nowhere to be seen.

When she finally came to her own rooms an inspiring elegance and warmth in them.

On the wall there was a portrait of three people. One was a beautiful woman who seemed warm and kind. Then there was an adorable little boy who looked innocent and care free, and a little girl. Katara didn't know exactly what to make of her.

"Whom did these rooms belong to before me?" asked Katara.

"Princess Ursa. Now there is a living room, a bedroom, and room you can do with as you please. Those double doors lead out into the hallways. You are currently in the living room. Those two doors lead to the other rooms. Dinner is at five. Ask a servant to get you to the dinning hall. Do you need that written down, or can you even read?" said the servant snidely.

"Excuse me of course I can read, and remembering that is easy. Oh I forget that it probably took you weeks to memorize that," Katara said angrily.

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Later that day Katara walked through the gardens of the palace, and she ran into a girl throwing knives at a dummy in every place that was deadly of sensitive.

"Nice aim," Katara complemented.

"You! Get away from me," the girl said darkly.

"Huh?" said a very confused Katara.

"You can't be surprised really," Azula commented. Bringing Katara's attention to herself. "My brother is a heartbreaker. He seduces you then dumps them you trash."

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This was a really long one, so I split it in two. This is part one

Thank you again for reviewing FireNutZuko. People who read this at least tell if you like, think it stinks, or there is nothing special to it. I kind of am losing my drive to write stories, because I don't get any responses. Please review.

WWJD


	4. The 2 gardensDeception part two

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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"Really?" Katara asked in disbelief.

"Yes. I tried to help her, but Zuko always stops me. It is hard for me to watch this happen to my friend," said Azula. Her voice was dripping with false sweetness. "I would be careful around my brother if I were you."

"Thank you for the warning, but I think I can handle myself." Katara said. _"Maybe I was wrong about her." _She thought walking away from the scene.

"I can tell you a few more things about you probably should know," offered Azula with a smile.

Katara stopped walking away and turned around, and Azula knew that the little fish was going for the bait.

"The first thing you should know is that he never tells the truth," Azula said acting like Zuko could be listening. "He was always the bad kid. The guy was burning turtleducks at age five."

"I didn't think he was that bad," Katara commented.

"Zuko was everyone's favorite, he fooled everyone," Azula said.

"Thank you for the warnings," Katara said pleasantly. Then she started to walk away.

_"The stupid little fish is caught in the net."_ Azula thought triumphantly as she watched Azula.

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Zuko was in his Mothers gardens playing his guitar. The guitar had been his journal since his real journal had almost been found. He wrote a song memorized it them burned the sheet on which it was written. Those songs came from his heart and emotions, and you could easily hear that. He hadn't written a happy song in 3 years.

Then the bird that was nesting in thetree he was sitting under decided to drop her load on our unlucky prince.

"Why is always me!" Zuko screamed into the air. Causing the bird poop to fall underneath his shirt onto his back.

"You could write a song about that," Iroh said while desperately trying to hold back laughter.

Zuko glared in response.

"Okay. You wouldn't be able to write a song about that, but you do have a lot of talent," Iroh said a bit more seriously. "It aggravates me that you don't perform or use for much though."

"Like not playing the Sungi horn during music night," Zuko put in as an example. "Uncle you had to know that I would never like music night,"

"I always said that you could easily make money by playing music in the streets," said Iroh trying lead off into a different subject.

"I don't have that kind of talent," Zuko said. His voice betrayed his low self-esteem.

"You underestimate yourself Prince Zuko," said Iroh.

"Even if I was able to father would never allow it," countered Zuko.

"My brother doesn't appreciate anything but power," Iroh said with his voice rising with anger, mostly at his brother. "You have a good kind soul, and the Heart of a fighter."

Zuko was a little alarmed by his uncle's anger. He had never seen his uncle act his way before.

"I apologize for acting that way nephew," Iroh said seeing Zuko's reaction.

"I forgive you, Uncle," Zuko said.

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Katara walked by and saw Zuko and this old guy hugging_. "Nothing makes sense about him."_

She walked back into her rooms and found half of the things in there missing, or at least the things a man would want as a memory of their mother. She checked if the painting was still there. There was nothing but a blank space.

"It was the first thing her son chose," The stuck up servant commented.

"When did you come in here?" Katara asked in a hostile tone.

"That doesn't really matter. This painting was done during the happiest time of his life," the servant continued.

"Oh," Katara said while fingering her necklace.

When the servant had left she had a room full of objects that Ursa's daughter had coldly rejected. There was a beautiful music box that caught Katara's attention. She began to look into it and found a secret compartment.

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Thank you FireNutZuko for the reviews and the emotional support.

And too Cathy…: I will try to make the chapters longer but I cant really promise anything. Sorry. I will really try to though. Boy does it feel weird being at the other end of those kind reviews.

People I need your help with something. I am going to need an allergy that isn't stupid sounding, but you can't avoid looking prissy while avoiding that allergy. I will use it in the story. It will come in much later on though.


	5. The Stone Prince and Love Notes

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

People who read this: I will take suggestions for the allergies as aforementioned in chapter 4 until I write the chapter that it will be used in. Please! I need something better than orange oil!!! That is all.

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Katara solely opened the compartment to see what was inside. There was a letter inside. She opened it carefully to read it.

_Dear Ursa,_

_Every day I am separated from you makes me want to hold you close. The desire for you to be mine also grows stronger every day. The arranged marriage between you and is something that I wished had never happened. He is indeed a lucky man. I will miss you and I will always want you forever._

_Your lover._

_"I wanted to know more about Princess Ursa, but this is way too much,"_ Katara thought. _"I do want to know how this ends though."_

Then she saw a book in the bottom of the secret compartment. I t was cover in a blanket of dusk making it hard to notice. Katara picked it up and dusted off the cover. Then flipped through it.

"It's a dairy, but I don't think it's the princesses," Katara noted to herself. Then she randomly selected a page and started to read.

_Yesterday bad beat me worse than usual. He hurt my hand badly that is why I didn't write yesterday. This time I couldn't hide my bruises, and people wanted to know about them so I lied. I said that I fell own he stairs. It's the classic cover up for kids like me. Maybe they'll believe me next time I say that I need to be saved from dad, unlike the last time. Dad beat so badly last time I tried to tell someone. My sister doesn't really care. My pain is entertainment to her…._

That wasn't the end of the entry but it was all Katara could take.

"That poor kid he was stuck in a world he couldn't escape. I hope he escaped it somehow." Katara thought to herself. She began to search for a name all she found was a codename "The Stone Prince," She read to her self that is all she had to go on. She began read more. After she had spent a few minutes recovering from the previous reading of course.

_….lucky for me she didn't watch yesterday. I hate it when she does. Mom ran off only a week ago and the beatings have gone from once a week to once a day. Mom didn't need to know because she would have gotten in trouble with Dad. The candle is running out I will write more tomorrow._

That seemed like enough for one sitting. Realizing how late it was Katara went to bed.

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Zuko was turning in for the night as well. He put away the guitar that he had played all day and grabbed his nightclothes. When the servant who had bugged Katara all day came in suddenly.

"How are you doing Zan?" asked Zuko informally. Though he was slightly startled.

"Good, I have some information on your wife to be," Zan said.

"Why are you trying to collect information any ways?" Zuko asked suspiciously.

"I don't want one of my favorite masters to marry a serial killer not knowing that his wife was one," Zan said with a slightly mischievous grin. "Which you sister is trying to convert her too by the way."

At that statement Zuko dropped the clothing he was holding in his arms.

"She lied to the girl blatantly, trying to convince her that you were the lowlife scum that she was," he said. "The girl isn't ready to kill you yet, but Azula is going to change that."

"Thank you for the warning Zan," Zuko said mildly freaked out.

"Any time Master," Zan said coolly.

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Iroh was preparing to turn in as well. It was a late night for him considering his age. He thought about Zuko and his struggles and how he could have saved them if he had only been stronger. How he could have saved them if he swallowed his pride. Iroh went to bed with guilty thoughts coursing through his mind.

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Well how was that? Sorry that I didn't post yesterday I was just so tired and emotional. Stupid P.M.S!!!!!

Thank you again FireNutZuko for reviewing and to cathy….. I mean those kinds of reviews. Sorry if I offended you it was a typo. Yes the orange oil thing really was my stupid idea.


	6. Records and Spiked Tea

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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"Dad Katara is going to marry a slime ball and you aren't doing anything to stop it?" yelled Sokka.

"Son, your sister can handle herself," Hokada said sternly. "That is enough discussion for now."

This wouldn't cut it for Sokka. He decided he would do something himself. Just to Make Zuko uncomfortable enough to get another bride.

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"Father, I have started to lead the girl down the path of murder," Azula said coolly.

"Good," said Ozi flatly.

"Have I disappointed you Father?" Azula asked noticing her father's tone.

"Daughter did you push her too far at once? Did you arouse suspicion?" grilled Ozi.

"No, she suspects nothing. All is going according to plan," Azula said with an evil smile on her face.

"Does she have the spirit to kill?" Ozi asked.

"No, she is weak, like Zuko," Azula answered with contempt in her voice. "They would probably marry each other willingly."

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Sokka began searching through the Royal Records Rooms. He ran across the records on the royal family and began to search for Zuko. He found it right away.

_Name: Zuko_

_Current Age: 17_

_Status: Grandson of Azulon. Son of his second Son, Ozi._

_Grades at Attended school:_

_LanguageB- _

_ArtA_

_Music A_

_MathematicsB_

_Physical EducationB+_

HistoryC+ 

_Fire Nation Royal Academy for Boys_

_Warning: Highly allergic to sesame _

_"Sesame? Okay stupid allergy,"_ Sokka thought to himself. "Lets give Princey some hives." He said to himself with a twisted smile.

Later

Sokka hunted down the dinning room and after an hour-long hunt he finally found it. Then he chose Zuko's spot that was already set with silverware and a napkin. He dipped the chopsticks in sesame oil and put them back in their place.

"Princey is going to have hives for dinner," Sokka said to himself.

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Commander Zhoa had decided to play a dirty trick on Iroh and spiked his tea with a very strong alcohol.

"The trustworthy one out of the two is Zuko," Iroh slurred to a corned and slightly frightened Katara. "She has told you lies and flipped floppederd the sides of the **hiccup **sides of the story. Others always cast zu-uko aside and Azula would mock him for it."

"Then of course his father gave him his scar. He never really trusted anyone after that," Iroh explained in a drunken manner. "You see he spoke out against a generals plan in the war room. Because of that he had to face his father in a fire duel."

"Why did he speak out?" asked Katara her interest peaked.

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Thanks to FireNutZuko and Luiz4200 for reviewing that's it the allergy suggestions are closed for the market. That's right people it wasn't a desperate attempt at getting reviews. Zhoa is the guy with the big side burns if you couldn't tell because of my bad spelling.

The name Stone Prince was inspired by Martina McBride's song Concrete Angel. It may be about a girl but it will remind you of Zuko in many ways.


	7. Deathly dinner

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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"The general wanted to sacrifice a new division of solders to use as bait," Iroh said drunkenly. "To the general they were just fresh meat. Actually those were his exact words. Fresh meat!"

Katara took all of this in but she didn't believe him. That was due to the fact that he was stoned.

"My niece has no soul and a black heart," Iroh said swerving as if he would pass out any moment. "Sorry I just had to say those things."

Then Iroh passed out cold on the floor. Katara didn't know what to think anymore.

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Zuko walked into a dinning hall with a full spread. Half of the chairs in the red marble room were filled with their assigned person. He sat down in his red plush seat. The ornate plates with gold trimmings and inlaid designs lay neatly arranged on a polished ebony wood table.

"I almost forgot how overdone political dinners were," Zuko mumbled to himself.

"Agreed," said Iroh shortly. He was in a hangover and still recovering from passing out and knocking his head against the floor.

Zuko jumped and turned around with shock. He was surprised that anyone had heard him say those rebellious words.

"Whew, it's only you," he said to Iroh. Zuko thought it was his father, because of the tone in Iroh's voice.

"Uncle, good to see there's someone I can talk to hear," Zuko said with audible relief.

"Why not try to talk to people of the other nations?" Iroh asked still a bit grumpy, and the fact that Zhao had just entered the room didn't help.

"It's no use they all think I'm a power crazed sadist," replied Zuko with hopelessness.

"Not all of them," Iroh said perking up. "King Boomy and I have gotten along, and we have even become friends."

"Uncle you sit around, drink tea, play Pai-Sho ,and you look like the perfect grandpa. I have a huge scare that looks like I got it in a huge battle, I look like I could smash them easily, which I could in most situation, and I look enough like my father too scare them away," Zuko pointed out.

After that he sat down in the appropriate dinner position. Then he took a bite of the food. _"This food taste weird."_

The next thing everyone knew Zuko was on the floor and out like a light.

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Sokka was in the waiting room just like everyone else that was there at the incident. He wasn't there out of worry just out of guilt.

_"This shouldn't have happened,"_ Sokka thought to himself in a panic. _"I just wanted to make him uncomfortable for a few day not kill him."_

He noticed that the only person interrogating the royal doctor was and old fat man.

"Can you believe this?" Katara asked Sokka while she took the empty seat right next to him.

"No, I cant," said Sokka.

"It just seems so unreal," Katara said. "The most indestruclable has been poisoned with something and is near death."

_"It's amazing that a guy like that is allergic to anything,"_ Sokka thought.

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Okay that's it. Thank you to my constant reviewer FireNutZuko. Is it just me or is it weird that I have almost twice the amount of reviews for my one shot After the Kiss, and four times the favs. for it too.


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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Iroh was extremely worried about Zuko. It had been days since the attempt on Zuko's life and he still was in an unstable condition. In other words they didn't know if he would pull through.

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Sokka paced up and down his room that was given to him until Katara was supposed to get married. He wasn't a murderer by nature.

_ "It was just supposed to be a harmless prank,"_ Sokka thought to himself. _"How could a guy like that be that allergic to anything that badly?"_

He kept on asking himself these things knowing that in any second he could become a murderer.

_"Why did I feel the need to do anything to him?"_ Sokka asked himself.

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Katara wandered through the halls and looked for the things that she could remember that marked her way to her rooms.

Then she walked into the gardens of princess Ursa. There cute little baby turtleducks swimming around in the beautiful pond under the watchful eye of their mother.

"It's beautiful isn't it," Iroh said startling Katara. Then she recognized who it was and pulled a Water-Whip out of the pond and prepared for battle with a drunkard.

"What did I do to you while I was drunk?" Iroh said with concern. "Did I hurt you?"

"Will you get wasted often?" Katara grilled Iroh.

"No. Commander Zhao thought it would be funny to spike my tea," Iroh explained glowering at the thought of Zhao.

"Oh," Katara said. Then she noticed that his eyes were all red and puffy. The clothes on his body were wrinkly and unkempt. "What's wrong?"

"I am concerned for my nephew Prince Zuko," Iroh explained downheartedly. "He used to feed the turtleducks here with his mother."

Katara's eyes narrowed as she tried to imagine Zuko feeding those cute fuzzy animals in the pond with his mother.

"I know you must hate him. With all the history that you have and the fact that you have to marry him must make it difficult to do this," Iroh consoled

Katara was very surprised at the old mans understanding words.

"Zuko doesn't like the idea of this either. He has no issue with you or your people, but it just made things clear for him. Things he would have been kept in the dark about," Iroh explained to Katara. "Will you tell me some of the things that I said while I was in a drunk state, and I still want to know if I hurt you in any way."

"You scared me and trapped me in a corner but you didn't hurt me," Katara explained.

Iroh looked like he was mortified by his behavior. He asked, "What did I say to you?" sounding fearful of the answer.

"Well you slammed Azula a lot. Then there was something about Zuko's father giving him his scar, and always being cast aside by others," Katara said nervously waiting for his reaction.

Iroh just turned around and walked away.

_"Okay that's weird,"_ Katara thought to herself.

At the end of the day Katara was just as confused as ever. Possibly even more.

She left for her rooms and as soon as she got to the bedroom she pounced on her bed and began throwing around pillows. Half out of frustration the other half was because she couldn't remember which pillow the Stone Princes Dairy was hidden under. Katara tore through velvet, silk, tasseled, embroidered, and gold hemmed pillows until she found the dairy. Then she selected a date much earlier than the one she read previously and began to read.

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Okay that is it for today. Thank you to FireNutZuko my constant reviewer, Dragon Jadefire one of my favorite authors who reviewed every chapter and my one shot. Wow. To Luiz4200thank you for the praise, and Cathy who I thank for your review.


	9. Tea, Gifts, and Diaries

I do not own Avatar the Last Air bender.

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_Dear Dairy,_

_Mom and Dad had a huge fight, and I know it was about me. Mom says it isn't and it is just too complicated to explain, but I can tell she was lying, and the fact that Dad hit me so hard that I was knocked out for a few hours kind of proved it. I have to stop writing I am feeling dizzy from dad's blow. Goodbye._

"This is way too depressing for me," Katara groaned.

"What else would you expect from a Fire Nation book?" Sokka said standing in the doorway to her room.

Katara franticly began to search for a place to hide the Stone Princes Diary.

"Why are you trying to hide that book?" Sokka asked.

"Some weird Fire Nation rule says that only a bride to be is allowed to read this book," Katara lied nervously.

"Since when did obey Fire Nation rules?" Sokka asked weirded out. "Why are there pillows all over your room?"

"See you later Sokka," she said pushing him out the door.

When Sokka was finally out the door Katara sat down and tried to find the place she was at when her brother came in.

Then Azula decided to interrupt Kataras reading.

"Hello Katara how are you doing?" Azula asked in a pleasant manner.

"Not much. I'm just reading," Katara said while hiding the book at the same time.

"Oh. Well don't let me interrupt. I just have a gift that I want to give to you," Azula said holding out a gift box. It was midnight blue and had wrapped in a bow silver ribbons.

"Thanks," Katara said warmly.

Then she began to undo the ribbons on the box, and opens the box. There was a bag of assorted treats inside it. But there was mostly an odd kind of pretzel made of crushed sesame and little bits of papaya. These treats looked nauseous and revolting, and smelled like it too.

"I hope you enjoy them," Azula said smiling with warmth.

"I hope that these taste better than they look or smell," Katara mumbled to herself as soon as Azula was out of hearing range..

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"I have set the trap just like you commanded me to," Azula told to her father. "But I don't see the point in doing this."

"Zukos hospitalization is a far easier way to start a new war," the Fire Lord explained. "When he dies the Water Tribe Wench will be blamed for it. It will be much faster than if we did it the way we originally planed."

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Iroh visited Zuko in the infirmary.

Zuko would wake up fine now and then, but soon afterwards he would have an after attack. They were just as dangerous as the first attack, and possibly more.

"Prince Zuko it's time for tea!" Iroh cheerfully announced.

"Why tea? Isn't breakfast, lunch, dinner and Pai-sho time enough," Zuko said in a tired and nasally voice.

"Zuko are getting tired of me?" Iroh asked sounding hurt.

"You should have other things to do other than take care of me Uncle," Zuko explained.

"That is no concern of yours," Iroh said firmly.

"You are in denial. The fact that I might not make it is still very real. You shouldn't put yourself through this," Zuko said cautiously.

"You will not! I repeat NOT! Speak like that!" Iroh yelled. Then his voice softened. "You are a survivor. I know you will make it."

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That is it for today. Thank you to PearlBlue5 for your many kind reviews.

I have a confession that most Zutarains would never admit too if five people review nicely. I wall post it nicely.


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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Katara heard a knock on the large double doors.

"Open up. We are searching for evidence for the attempt on Prince Zukos life," Barked a royal guard.

She opened the door, and let them in.

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Iroh thought about what Zuko had said "The fact that I might not make it is still very real" rung through his head over and over.

Iroh had so many things to tell him. How he truly felt, and who Iroh really was.

That was it. He was going to tell him every thing. Iroh turned around and headed towards Zukos room in the infirmary.

Zuko was suffering from and attack when he arrived.

When the shock had passed Iroh wondered if Zuko would hate him and blame him for everything. Would he blame him for never stepping up to the plate?

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"Lady Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, are you aware that prince Zuko is allergic to a key ingredient in these armature made treats," questioned a guard. "It looks like you were trying to hide to hide evidence."

"Zuko is allergic to anything? Didn't see that one coming," Katara said.

"There is oil extracted from most of these things, and the oil is what is caused Prince Zuko's current state.

"No. I didn't know," Katara said honestly.

"I think you better come with me," the guard said.

Then he hand cuffed Katara and dragged her out of the room. She saw Azula watching this happen and doing nothing about it. Then Azula turned around and walked towards the Fire Lords war room.

She was completely confused. A friendly present just had gotten her accused of murder.

"_Could Azula have known about this?"_ Katara wondered. _"NO! She couldn't, could she?"_

Then she remembered Her first impression of Azula. Kataras eyes widened with realization.

"Iroh was right all along," Katara groaned to herself.

Then a far worse realization came to her. She was trapped; Azula could get away with murder. Nobody would believe Katara, and those who did couldn't do anything about it.

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Azula met her father in the war room.

"All is going according plan," she said wickedly.

"Good. Now I have some News that will make our plan even more effective," Ozi said smiling.

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Iroh had spent hours with his nephew during has most recent visit. When he came out his head was bowed. Iroh called a meeting and wanted all representatives too come.

When all had gathered Iroh announced. "Prince Zuko has died." He lifted his head and revealed a red tear streaked face.

The entire room went into shock, and the most sickening thing was you could almost see Ozi smiling.

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Okay thank you for all the kind reviews. Now here is my confession.

Okay back during the first half of the second season. When I would only watch it if something better wasn't on. I was a Kataanger. Now I am a rock solid Zutarain. A friend of mine converted me. More like we had various loud debates during Spanish class, and when I thought about it I converted.

Now to you who will flame me for what I did in this chapter let me point this out. This is a Zutara fan fiction and Zuko and Katara haven't even spoken to each other. Do you really think that I will really kill him off before they even speak?


	11. Death, confession and resurection

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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"Katara his future wife has been found guilty of his murder," Iroh continued sadly.

The whole room suddenly went into an uproar. There was people defending Katara and people accusing her. Sokka couldn't believe what had happened. He had killed someone and his sister was framed for it.

Sokka stood and yelled out "Katara is innocent and I have proof."

The entire room suddenly became quiet.

"How so," Ozai asked coldly.

Sokka stood there gathering up the strength to confess his deed, and no one noticed that Iroh had silently slipped out of the room.

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"Miss Katara I have come to let you know that Zuko's death was staged. We both though that it might draw out the guilty one; there was no intention of you getting caught up in this," Iroh explained through bars on her prison door.

"Thank you," Katara sighed with relief. Than her curiosity got the best of her. "Do you know about Princess Ursa, and who wrote her love letters."

"Princess Ursa is the wife of Fire Lord Ozai," Iroh explained.

"You were the one who wrote her letters," Katara said in shock. "You had an affair with Zuko's mother."

"Well you wouldn't call it an affair exactly. When she was married we didn't do anything together," Iroh corrected.

"How far did this go?" Katara asked coldly.

"We didn't do anything together until we found out that Ozai that my brother had supposedly died in a rockslide incident. That was obviously false information." Iroh said.

"How far did it go?" Katara repeated.

"Far enough for Zuko to be my son," Iroh answered softly.

That made Katara Shut her mouth. Then her jaw dropped.

"It is not as you think. Ursa and I wed secretly. Then once we found out that my brother was alive we had to separate for the sake of Zuko, and we had to let Ozai think he was the father. Zuko would have been killed at birth if anyone had known," Iroh explained franticly.

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Sokka had just told the entire story to the assembly of representatives.

"It wasn't on purpose. I didn't want to kill anyone," Sokka pleaded.

"Needless to say you did kill someone," Ozai said coldly.

"No he didn't!" Iroh announced cheerfully.

"Huh?" Sokka said in a confused way.

"What?" Ozi asked in the same tone.

"This was all staged to find the perpetrator. Zuko is alive and he finally recovered from what had put his life in danger," Iroh said with a smile.

Everyone in the room looked dumbstruck. Right down to the servants.

"You are a very cruel man," Sokka said to Iroh.

"You will think differently now that you know that no charges will be pressed against you," Iroh told him

Fire Lord Ozai's jaw practically hit the floor. Sokka thought that he was dreaming.

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Later in Ursa's garden Sokka ran up to Iroh.

"Thanks for getting me bailing me out of that situation," Sokka said.

"It was Zuko who wanted to let you go, or he was the one who suggested it," Iroh told him.

"You're kidding. Right?" Katara said. She had been listening in on the whole conversation.

"Well on the condition that the person wasn't trying to kill him," Iroh added. "If he was then Zuko would as he so colorfully put it 'beat the snot out of the jerk'."

"I was trying to give him a bad case of hives," Sokka confessed.

"Then I cannot promise you anything," Iroh told him.

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See the happy. Now take back your curses FireNutZuko. Though they did have their place. This was a longer chapter than usual. Thanks to Cathy for her review. Thank you to Dragon Jadefire for her review as well.

A special thanks to those who didn't feel the need to insult me for the mistake of being a once upon a time Kataanger, I know that the shipping wars are pretty fierce.


	12. Iroh's trickery

I do not own Avatar the last Airbender.

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Iroh led Sokka to Zuko's. There He stood not so ready for justice. Sokka knew Zuko could flay the skin from his bones, and sweep the floor with his remains. He knocked on the door to Zuko's room, and the door opened.

"Hello I came here to apologize in person," Sokka said.

"Okay you can come in if you want," Zuko said eyeing Sokka with suspicion.

"Look I didn't want to kill you I just wanted to give you hives!" Sokka blurted out suddenly.

"What?" Zuko asked with a deadly serious monotone. The piercing glare in his eyes rooted Sokka to the spot.

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Later

Katara stood outside Irohs door. She wanted to ask him about the diary of the Stone Prince. Then Katara lifted her hand to knock on the door but hesitated.

Iroh opened the door and jumped with a start upon seeing her.

"What is wrong Miss Katara?" Iroh asked with concern.

"I just wanted to ask you about a diary written by someone called the Stone Prince," Katara said. "Do you know anyone who could be the Stone Prince?"

"No," Iroh lied, and did it quite convincingly too.

"Oh," Katara said sounding disappointed. "Then can I ask you about Princess Ursa?"

"What was she like?" Katara asked.

"She was a very good mother and she was very protective of Zuko," Iroh answered. "He was the one that need it the most."

"Really?" Katara asked.

"Katara come quickly!" Hokada called out in a panic. "Your brother has gone to talk to Zuko!"

"What ?!? Zuko will probably try to kill him," Katara screamed.

Katara ran down to Zukos room with Iroh right on her tail.

Hakoda, Katara, and Iroh stopped dead in front of Zukos double door. Iroh feeling he was the only one who had the right to do so opened the door.

There they were sitting in two separate chairs talking to each other calmly in Zuko's living room.

"Did I miss something here?" Katara asked disbelievingly.

"I confessed to him what I wanted to do, and after I explained a lot of course," Sokka recalled. "Then we just kept on talking and found out we had a lot in common."

"You two are friends now," Katara asked with shock.

"Katara I just said we had a lot in common. That doesn't change the fact that he is the Fire lords son," Sokka explained slowly.

That earned Sokka glare from Iroh and Zuko. "You just interrupted me explaining why I was hunting the Avatar," Zuko said accusingly.

"As much as I hate to admit it his reason is understandable," Sokka said grudgingly.

Katara and Hakoda just blinked stupidly. Iroh started to laugh at them.

"You are saying that the Prince of the Fire Nation has understandable reason for Hunting the Avatar," Katara asked in complete shock.

"Yes I am," Sokka answered.

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Okay who would ever think that Sokka would say that? Now I have a question for everyone. Should I kill of Azula? This isn't a poll. It is more like you give me reason and I consider it and it might sway me to either side. Thanks to FireNutZuko, Luiz4200, and Dragon Jadefire.


	13. Asylums and more

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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Katara was afraid for her brother's sanity.

"Sokka, Dad and I will call the nice men with the nets to take you Happy Hotel," she said nervously while she slowly backed away from her brother.

"I am not insane," Sokka said bluntly.

Iroh gestured towards Zuko to get over by him. Then walked into the hallway, and Zuko followed.

"I am very proud of you. You just proved yourself to be a good leader," Iroh said beaming at Zuko.

"Thank you uncle. I am just happy I wont have to deal with a man trying to killing me at every turn," Zuko said honestly.

"Well either way it was very responsible on your part not to kill him," Iroh responded.

They both smiled at each other. Then Zuko quickly checked to see if anyone had seen him do that. Iroh just shook his head when he saw Zuko check for any witnesses. It pretty much killed the mood, so Iroh walked back into the room and Zuko followed him.

"Sokka you are not yourself," Hakoda said. That was the first thing the two of them heard when they entered the room.

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Azula and Ozi in the War Room. The flame illuminated both of their angry faces. The sight of this scene was enough to drive the Royal guards out of the room, and it did.

"We were this close to starting another war," Azula bellowed. "We were this close to actually starting a second war that we would win quickly."

"There is still time to succeed," Ozai said coolly

"The peasant already figured out what we want," Azula said shorter. "She wont go along with it. The **bleep** is in Zukos room right now."

"Then we must take care of Zuko and blame the girl," Ozai said.

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Zuko with much help from Iroh had managed to persuade the issue of Sokka's sanity later.

Katara started to walk towards her suites. When she got there the dairy was immediately was pulled out. She finally chose an easy to remember spot hide the book. She turned to a date earlier than the previous entry.

_Mom went away to a different part of the Fire Nation for a meeting. That leaves Dad more time to beat me without people finding out about it. _

_I really have to go now. Dad is coming. _

Just after reading that there was a knock on her door. She answered the door and Zuko was standing there.

"Can I talk to you?" Zuko asked.

"Yes you can," Katara answered with a suspicious tone.

"I want to make things perfectly clear. I am not gay, I tried not hurt anyone who hunted the Avatar, and I have never killed anyone," He said as soon as the door was shut.

"Why are you telling me this?" Katara asked.

"Your brother made it seem like every one in the Avatars group thought I was a gay, serial killing, madness crazed pedophile," He answered. "I am not a pedophile either." Katara couldn't help but laugh at the last part of what he said.

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Okay to all those immature buttheads who want to clarify what the bleep means. We already know. There is no need to really say it. Sorry for the short chapter I was having a hard time writing this.

Thanks to FireNutZuko, Luiz4200, and Dragon Jadefire.

I want to start a fic called Stone Prince. I think that most of you know what it is about already. It is pretty much all the entries of the Dairy of the Stone Prince from when he started to write to the day he was banished. Should I do it?


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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Zuko saw Katara laughing and he got defensive.

"What's so funny?" he asked angrily.

"That you thought our entire group thought that, and the fact that you cared," Katara explained. "Sokka is the sarcastic, comic relief, and blunt person of the group. He also comes up with all the plans."

"I could kind of tell by the way he so expertly almost killed me," Zuko said accusingly. "Well at least I know not to take his opinions very seriously."

Katara gave a withering glare. "You should that his opinions don't represent the groups"

"That's good for future reference," Zuko noted.

"You have a lot of nerve," Katara said shortly.

"I forgave him. That doesn't mean that I can't be angry at him," Zuko pointed out. Katara just decide to let this issue go.

"Is there anything I should know about Azula?" Katara asked.

"She always lies except for when the truth hurts more than anything that she can come up with. She is a sadist. I would know I was her favorite victim. She is power crazed," Zuko rattled off. "She calculates everything. Then chooses the path that will give her the most power and control."

"Some of those things you said she used to describe you," Katara said.

"She always lies," he repeated.

"Right," Katara said. "What is that you are so allergic to?"

"It's embarrassing," he answered.

"Come on you can tell me," she pouted.

"No," he said roughly.

Sokka walked in and saw the scene. "Hey sesame boy. Want to get away from my sister," He said threateningly.

Katara's ribs were breaking from holding back laughter. Then she didn't even try. Katara doubled over then fell down on the floor and started rolling on it. Zuko glared at Sokka.

"What did I do?" Sokka asked.

"You destroyed my dignity," Zuko responded with a threatening glare.

"Is that all?" Sokka asked with a ridiculous smile on his face.

That did it for Zuko. The next thing Sokka knew was that there was a fireball heading in his direction and an angry firebender as well.

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Iroh was sitting next to Zan and enjoying a cup of tea with him.

"Do you think that I should tell Zuko?" Iroh asked in a worried tone. "Would he hate me and blame me for everything if I told him?"

"I doubt the boy could ever truly hate you. Especially he knew you were his father," Zan said. "I would be overjoyed. Considering the pathetic excuse of a father that is the alternative."

"You make it sound so much simpler than it is," Iroh sighed.

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"Father why are going through so many troubles just to give the solders a reason to fight?" Azula asked.

"There is a much deeper aspect to the plan. By killing Zuko we force Iroh into a deep depression like the death of Lu Ten. If he does not kill himself no one will have a hard time believing that he did when we kill him," Ozai explained.

"What would that accomplish?" Azula asked with genuine confusion.

"I had hoped that you were smarter than your idiot brother," Ozai said condescendingly. "That would wipe out all of our families weak links. Ensuring that our country never falls into the hands of a weak ruler."

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Later

Iroh walked into a scene of utter chaos.

Zuko was chasing Sokka around throwing fireballs at him. Half of the objects in the room were on fire. Katara was busy putting out the fires with her water bending.

"Calm down!" Iroh bellowed. Which made everyone stop what they were doing.

"He started it," Sokka and Zuko said. That caused Katara to start laughing again.

"I do not care who started it. I am finishing it," Iroh said. "Now Zuko there is something I must tell you."

Zuko followed his uncle out the door with a confused expression on his face.

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That is chapter fourteen. Sorry Dragon Jadefire but some things can't be avoided in the story. I tried to avoid rubbing it into your face. Thanks too Luiz4200, FireNutZuko, and Dragon Jadefire.

Sorry I would have updated yesterday but the websites half hour update took up the entire day.


	15. Father and Son

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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"What is it Uncle?" Zuko asked in a very confused tone.

"I need to tell you something," Iroh confessed. "Something I should have told you along time ago."

"What is it?" Zuko repeated nervously.

"I will start with the story behind it so you will understand a bit more," Iroh said. He seemed like he was avoiding telling him, or he was trying to put it off.

"Once your mother and I were in love with each other," Iroh said.

"What?" Zuko asked. Shock was written all over his face.

"Then we found out she had an arranged marriage with my brother," Iroh explained.

"You mean my father," Zuko corrected.

"No," Iroh explained. "Now on with the story. Your mother had to marry my brother while I was away at war."

Zuko was to shocked to say anything by now.

"When I came home from war I found that your mother had treated Lu Ten as her own," Iroh told Zuko. "Then my brother ran off to hunt the Avatar. Months later we received a notice claiming he was dead. He had gotten into an accident."

Zuko's eyes widened.

"Then a month after we received the news your mother and I wed secretly. After we mourned his death of course," Iroh said.

Zuko was at the point where he couldn't breath. The idea of his uncle and mother married was very strange to him.

"Then four months after we received the news they found Ozai alive in the middle of the forest. He had survived purely on eating nuts," Iroh recalled.

"That explains a lot," Zuko said. He had recovered enough to speak.

"I'm sure it does. Anyways I went to tell your mother the news, and she had news for me as well," Iroh said.

"What was that?" Zuko asked Iroh. You cut the tension between those two with a knife.

"You. Zuko I am really your father," Iroh told him.

Zuko just stood there. Then he hit the ground with thud. He got up immediately afterwards.

"That's weird. For a moment there I thought you said that you were my father," Zuko laughed.

"I did and I am," Iroh said.

"Why didn't you and mom claim me as both of yours?" Zuko asked sounding hurt.

"You would have been killed the moment you had been born. The fact that Ozai was never dead made our marriage illegal. We had let people think that you were Ozai's," Iroh explained emotionally. "It was the hardest thing I ever did."

"Then it's … fine with me. I feel a lot better about how I got my scar now," Zuko said. The awkwardness of this moment was written plainly on their faces.

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This is a short chapter, but it is very important chapter though. Thanks to Dragon Jadefire, FireNutZuko, and Luiz4200


	16. Taking a break

Sorry readers I am taking a break from with this fan fic. This story is draining me. I am **NOT** discontinuing this story. I am merely taking a break.

I do appreciate my faithful readers and I will probably recover and update soon. Please don't be angry with me for this.

To those who are reading my story the ghost I will continue writing that story. That one is not draining me.

To those who say that it's impossible for that too happen. I am a very weird person and it can happen to me.


	17. I'm back!

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender, but I do own Zan the servant.

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When all had settled everyone gathered in Katara's spare room. She had converted it into an area where you could just sit and talk. There were seven chairs in that room. Sokka, Katara, Zuko, and Iroh took a seat in them.

"So we all have agreed to tell our stories?" Zuko asked just to be completely sure. Everyone nodded in response.

"Who's going to go first?" Sokka asked. He sounded like he just wanted to get this over with. "I guess it's me."

Nobody said anything or tried to stop him.

"I was the only boy in the tribe around my age. Everyone else was four years older than me or they were newborns," Sokka said. "Then the Fire Nation ruthlessly attacked our village."

"Ahem," Zuko coughed.

"My mother was killed in that attack," Sokka continued. "Dad went to the earth kingdom to help with the war soon after. All the men went with him…"

"Leaving Sokka and I to look after our tribe," Katara finished.

"I'm telling the story!" Sokka shouted irritably. "Well like Katara said he did leave us the responsibility of the tribe, but he also made me promise to take care of my sister."

With that Sokka glared threateningly at Zuko. Zuko nodded to Sokka as if accepting some unwritten terms.

"Can I tell the story of how we found Aang?" Katara asked delicately.

"Yeah," Sokka answered half-heartedly.

"Two years later Sokka and I went fishing. He got me angry with his sexist behavior, and I kind of broke a mile high glacier in half with my waterbending," Katara said. "Aang was frozen inside that glacier for hundreds of years. That is how the Avatar was found."

"He got you that mad?" Zuko asked. "You are definitely going to fit in here."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sokka asked defensively.

"She is just as emotional and fiery as the Fire Benders around here," Zuko answered simply. That earned him a glare from Sokka.

"Emotions and breathing are the primary fuels for firebending," Iroh explained.

Both of the water tribe siblings didn't know what to make of this so they just remained quiet.

"How did you get your scar?" Sokka asked out of the blue.

Iroh turned to Sokka, and Sokka was met with a severe look. Zuko looked at a dark corner of the room. His face seemed like it was clouded with a sad memory.

"I'm guessing that I shouldn't have asked that?" Sokka asked.

"Was what you said while you were drunk from the spiked tea true?" Katara interrupted.

"What did I say?" Iroh asked with concern, and Zuko fumed at his uncle.

"What did he say?" Sokka growled. He was very worried about what a drunk old man could have don to his sister.

"He said he got into a fire duel with Fire Lord Ozai," Katara said. " And that he was in that situation because he stood up for solders."

Zuko turned to Iroh and glared at him with an intensity that would make Azula afraid.

"Is it true?" Katara repeated.

"Yes Zuko grumbled.

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Yay! I am finally back. I wanted to give you guys something before school started but the website closed down on me. So here is my belated farewell to summer. Thanks to FireNutZuko and Luiz4200 for being understanding.

I will be updating again school will get my brain going again. I don't know if that will be that same situation with The Ghost. **Thank you for all your patience**.


	18. Chapter 18

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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Every one in the room was silent. Sokka bowed his head. He knew that he head brought this and that he deserved whatever Iroh threw at him, but not what Zuko would throw at him.

"We had no clue," Katara said softly. Then Katara asked something she wanted to know for a long time. "Why isn't you're mom here?"

"She ran off when I was little," Zuko replied quietly. "The last time I saw her was when she came in the middle of the night and told me that everything she had done she had done to protect me, and to never forget who I am."

"That looks suspicious and cryptic," Sokka commented.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko asked angrily.

"The part about everything she had done she had done to protect you sounded a bit suspicious to me," Sokka said stupidly.

"Are you insulting my mother? Because if you are then you won't live to see sunrise!" Zuko yelled.

"I am in no way insulting her," Sokka defended quickly. When Sokka said that Zuko calmed down.

"Azula did say that Grandpa was going to make 'Dad' kill me for his impudence," Zuko said Dad with air quotes.

"That makes a lot more sense," Sokka said.

"What was he so impudent about?" Katara asked.

"He said that when U Ten died Uncle's… er … um Iroh's bloodline," Zuko said awkwardly. He meant no disrespect by calling Iroh by his name. Zuko just wasn't sure what to call him. "He reminded Grandpa that his children were still alive and Iroh's wasn't. He wanted Grandpa to give Iroh's birthright to him."

"How do you know all of this?" Iroh asked in amazement.

"When grandpa dismissed us Azula pulled me behind the curtains and we listened in. Well she did I ran out after he said that my 'fathers' punishment had just begun," Zuko explained, again he said father with air quotes.

"How long has she been evil?" Katara asked.

"No idea," Zuko responded.

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"Daughter there is something I want to show you," Ozai said. "I have written a list of the family failures and their crimes."

They walked down to Ozai's private study.

"Father what is the purpose of you showing me this?" Azula asked.

"You need to know those who need to be taken down," Ozai answered evenly. He opened a book that lay there on his desk.

Iroh: pity, mercy, kindness

xLu Ten: same traits as his father.

xUrsa: Adultery, kindness, coddling

xAzulon: Loyal, unable to relinquish the throne

Zuko: stupidity, forgiving, mercy

There was another person on the list but Ozai shut the book before Azula could read it.

"I understand all of it except for Mothers crime of adultery," Azula said.

"I am very disappointed in you. I thought that you were smarter than Zuko and would have realized the suspicious circumstances behind his birth," Ozai scolded unkindly. "The fact that he was borne two months early yet doctors say he seemed as if he was born only a month early. The rumors still circulating about Ursa walking into her bedroom with Iroh and he wouldn't come out until the morning when I was gone, and that Zuko bears a strong resemblance between your uncle both mentally and physically."

"Zuko is Uncle's son," Azula gaped.

"That is what I have suspected for a long time," he said condescendingly.

"Why wasn't I allowed to see the second person?" Azula demanded to know.

"Do not speak to your father in such a disrespectful tone!" Ozai yelled. He struck Azula across the cheek leaving her stunned. This had never happened to her before and she didn't know what to do when blood started to run down her cheek. Ozai sneered at her before he turned around and left the study.

Azula's temper flared. She wanted to get even.

The book was just sitting there waiting to be opened, and she did just that.

Azula: stupidity, cockiness, may try to bring me down

"Attempt? No I will bring you down Father. That is a promise," Azula said coldly. A maniacal smile grew on her face. "This will not end as you wish."

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This chapter is a big reason I took a long break. I just had to work really hard on it. I hope it was worth it. Thank you Luiz4200 and powderedshugar for the reviews.


	19. Azula has lost it

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender

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"How old was she when she pulled that curtain stunt?" Katara asked.

"About eight," Zuko said like that was normal.

"Your sister is even more twisted than I thought she was," Katara said in shock.

"Most people take a long time to figure out that she isn't a perfect angel. How did you figure it out so quickly?" Zuko asked with a hint of admiration.

"I finally got when I was sitting in a prison cell accused of your murder, so my timing wasn't impressive at all," Katara explained. "She planted false evidence in the form of gifts and everything. Thrust me I am probably the stupidest person to fall for Azula's tricks."

"Azula is going to die and no matter how much you try to save her Zuko you cant," Sokka said darkly.

"Have a pair of broadswords you can use, but you have to let me help," Zuko offered.

"You must really hate your sister," Sokka muttered.

"I was and still am her favorite victim," Zuko told him. "She almost pushed me off a cliff once."

"That must have scarred you for life," Sokka said. Zuko gave him a look. "No pun intended."

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Azula strutted straight to the records room. When she got there she headed straight toward her fathers records. Apparently he was the perfect student, but there were many gaps and all of the marks were written with a nervous and shaky hand. Everything that could possibly be used against him seemed to be missing.

"Well everyone can be killed by lighting," Azula cackled to herself.

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"Does…the Fire Lord know what you told me?" Zuko asked.

"I suspect that is why he was so severe in all of your punishments," Iroh answered. "I think he noticed it from your birth. There were things about your birth that were very difficult to cover up."

"Would that be enough of a reason to complete the Agni Kai ritual for well you know?" Zuko asked. The awkwardness of the whole father uncle thing was starting to fade, but just barely.

"More than enough," Iroh answered.

"How did he complete the Agni Kai ritual and what is an Agni Kai?" Sokka asked out of frustration. Katara leaned over and whispered into Sokka's ear.

"Oh," He said with embarrassment.

"In fact I suspect that Ozai is up to something far worse than taking over the world. Once he became the Fire Lord it seemed he wanted more and every victory makes him seem even more crazed than before," Iroh said.

"Azula tried to make me hate Zuko," Katara put in.

"Then she framed you for Zuko's death. She was trying to get you to kill Zuko," Sokka realized. "That could be apart of Ozai's long term goal."

Zuko squirmed when Sokka said that. "I am right here remember." Zuko reminded him.

"What would they have to gain by killing you?" Katara asked Zuko.

"She want the throne and she always has considered me a weak link like…The Fire Lord," Zuko explained a little awkwardly.

"And Lu Ten was killed under mysterious circumstances. When Azulon ruled I was allowed to investigate, but when Ozai took over I was forbidden to continue," Iroh remembered suddenly and he spoke very quietly. "I have written everything down in a book in my rooms."

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Thanks Luiz 4200. I am really glad that you reviewed. I think I made Dragon Jadefire and FireNutZuko mad. If I did I am sorry.

If the story seems off it's because I am sick and the only reason I am posting is because I had it all written down beforehand.


	20. Chapter 20

I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

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Iroh sat them down in the living room then walked off into his private rooms. When he came out he held a small cream-colored paperback book.

"Here it is," Iroh said softly. He opened the book to the first page.

"When I first heard of my sons death I was traumatized. Then I was shown his body and one thing caught my attention. He was burned to death. He wasn't beaten around like he would be if Earthbenders killed him. Something is going on and I am going to find out," Iroh read aloud. Zuko went wide-eyed.

"This is my next entry. I saw the pace where Lu Ten was killed and it had been cleared completely of Earthbenders when my son was killed. There were no signs of a struggle as well. It's almost as if he knew the man who killed him. I will avenge my sons death if this is the case!" Iroh continued to read.

"It's almost as if your…linage is being wiped out intentionally. Considering that Azula tried to make me kill Zuko," Katara noticed.

"Well Azula said that grandpa wasn't exactly the powerful Fire Lord he used to be, and days later he died of causes unknown," Zuko pointed out.

"It's almost like the people Azula and Ozai consider weak in your family are being wiped out," Sokka thought out loud. Everyone in the room stared at him. "What?"

"They didn't try to kill my…real father," Zuko awkwardly pointed out. Iroh beamed at Zuko and Iroh knew that Zuko would accept this change eventually because of that moment.

"When Lu Ten died I became very depressed. They may have counted on me committing suicide," Iroh countered. "Killing Zuko may have been their second try."

"Or they could have used the depression from Zuko's death to make it look like he committed suicide," Sokka said.

"When you came home I was worried that you would hurt yourself," Zuko told Iroh. "Keep in mind that I was ten and the thoughts of death and suicide weren't the first things to come to my mind."

"So they must have thought that you would kill yourself. Considering a sheltered ten year old thought that you would hurt yourself," Sokka said. "I do think that Zuko was their second try."

"I think killing me would have just been a bonus for them," Zuko said bitterly. "As I figured out recently they don't care about me in any way shape or form."

"Not the candle in the room is he?" Sokka whispered into Katara's ear. Zuko hit him on the side of the head.

"I heard that!" Zuko yelled at him. "May I point out that I figured out a way to get past the northern water tribes walls and warriors?"

"I always wondered how you got past, and I am so sorry that the water tribes gave you all those cuts and bruises," Sokka said sarcastically and with a smug grin.

"Don't flatter yourself I got all those from an assassin Zhao hired," Zuko said. "I got in through a large seal hole, so the Water Tribe should really be more careful."

That got Sokka's blood boiling for two reasons one he had destroyed Sokka's ego trip and two he insulted the water tribes. Katara was impressed Zuko's ability to knock Sokka to where he was supposed to be and she had no problem with Zuko saying that the Northern Water Tribe should be more careful. In her mind he did nothing to insult the Southern Water tribe.

"You can swim?" Katara asked suddenly.

"Yes I can swim," Zuko said in an annoyed voice. "I can also rock climb as well."

"When did you learn to rock climb?" Katara asked him.

"When I was ten common children learn when there are three," Zuko said shortly. "It's what happens when your entire country is nothing but mountains and valleys and a few beaches on the shore."

"Well if your going to be like that about it then I don't even know why I am talking to you," Katara yelled at him with her voice rising with every word.

"Let's just take this outside!" Zuko challenged her.

"Fine!" Katara accepted. With that they both stormed out into the hall. Iroh and Sokka were too afraid to follow them.

As soon as they were out into an abandoned hallway Zuko did something incredibly impulsive. He pulled Katara into a kiss. Then as soon as it began it ended. Though they were both breathless in the end.

"That never happened," Zuko said.

"Agreed," Katara said.

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Yes, their first kiss! Thanks you AlinaAlone and Luiz 4200 for reviewing. Thank you Dragon Jadefire for responding. Please review.


	21. Sorry All Readers

Sorry all readers, but I am rewriting this. I am not doing this to get more time. This is because I think that the writing in this story to quote the coach of a wheelchair basketball team on the Suite Life of Zack and Cody "stinks like a gym sock in August".

I will be deleting this in 12 days. I am sorry, and when the story returns it will be much better.


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